A Stink Bug in My Kitchen!!

I don't like winter.  It's cold, and I don't like being cold.  I also don't like bugs.  So, the positive element of winter is that I don't come across many bugs.  Living in the South, however, means that our winters are often mild.  In the last week, we've had January days warm enough for my children to play outside in shorts!  It feels more like spring, and unfortunately, sometimes the insects that are supposed to be dormant also think it's spring.  My husband found this bug on our oven door:

This is the brown marmorated stink bug.  It is native to China, Japan, Korea, and Taiwan.  It was first collected in the United States in Allentown, PA.  In the last dozen years, it has spread to the majority of US states, although it is still most abundant in the Mid-Atlantic region.

The adult brown marmorated stink bug (BMSB) is 14-17 mm long, or about the size of a dime.  They are a mottled brown color and have the classic "shield" shape of other stink bugs.  One distinguishing characteristic is the white stripes on the antennae.  It is common for large amounts of BMSBs to be seen in the fall trying to invade homes for warm places to overwinter.  Once inside the home, they will go into a state of hibernation and reappear in the spring.  Occasionally, as in my case, they will appear in the winter during warmer periods.  BMSBs do not cause structural damage to homes or reproduce in homes.  They also do not bite people or pets.  So, they really don't sound that bad, right?

Here's why this bug is a problem.  It uses its proboscis to pierce plants and suck the juices out.  They have caused millions of dollars in crop damage in many fruits and vegetables such as peaches, apples, soybeans, pears, corn, and tomatoes.  Feeding results in the formation of dimpled or necrotic areas on the surface of the crop, leaf stippling, and seed loss.  Here's an example of damage cause by the BMSB:



Photo courtesy of pubs.ext.vt.edu; credit: Doug Pfeiffer

The other reason the BMSB is undesirable is that, you guessed it, it stinks!  It emits an smell that has been described as a pungent odor like cilantro.  The odor is a defense mechanism, but it can also be triggered by handling it or crushing it.  Vacuuming is one method of getting rid of any BMSB inside the home.  However, this may also cause the vacuum to stink for awhile.  Instead, try knocking them in a container of soapy water.  After getting our picture, by husband went for the simple crush it and wad it up in a paper towel method.  Luckily, we didn't smell any odor and all is well!